Getting Bi

Robyn is the editor of the 42-country anthology, Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around the World

Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around the World, Second Edition, edited by Robyn Ochs and Sarah Rowley, is the broadest single collection of bisexual literature available today. Getting Bi collects 220 essays from around the world that explore bisexual identity. Topics include coming out, relationships, politics, community, and more. The book also addresses the intersection of bisexuality with race, class, ethnicity, gender identity, disability and national identity. Authors from 42 countries discuss bisexuality from personal perspectives and their own cultural contexts providing insight into societal views on bisexuality from countries ranging from Colombia to China.

Getting Bi is one of the most important recent contributions to the global struggle for human rights. By enriching our understanding of bisexuality within so many cultural and geographic contexts, this anthology serves as a magnificent tool for building support and respect for the sexual rights of each one of us. – Paula Ettelbrick, Executive Director of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission

Articles, Reviews, and Testimonials

Getting Bi is a stunning collection of first-person narratives by bisexuals from around the world. The term “bisexual” functions as a useful shorthand for a broad spectrum of sexualities: as the editors note in the Introduction, some contributors self-identify as queer, pansexual, omnisexual, or labelless, while others acknowlege attractions to multiple genders while identifying as lesbian, gay, or heterosexual. This complexity infuses the book at every level, as writers differ not only in their definitions of bisexuality, but also in their politics, spiritualities, sexual practices, and patterns of daily life. The essayists include accomplished writers and bi activists such as Loraine Hutchins, Lani Ka’ahumanu, Carol Queen, and Amanda Udis-Kessler, as well as literary unknowns, many of whom are published here for the first time. Most of the essays are conversational in tone and personal in content, as the writers discuss coming out, the choice to identify (or not) as bisexual, life experiences, sexual desire, bi community, and political activism.

Book Signing

Many anthologies aspire to be international in scope, but few achieve that vision. Getting Bi is a rare success in this respect, as the book includes voices from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Columbia, Cuba, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Turkey, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This diversity of location and perspective makes Getting Bi useful in college or high school courses that center global and/or transnational analyses of feminism and/or sexuality. The lively and engaging content continues and extends the best traditions of Bi Any Other Name, while the international scope and glorious polyphony mark the beginning of a new era in bi literature. Getting Bi is an astounding achievement. – Robin Bernstein, Associate Professor of Women, Gender & Sexuality, Harvard University

Robyn Ochs, editor of the Bisexual Resource Guide, and Sarah E. Rowley bring us a new, fascinating collection of personal stories and high quality information useful to bisexual, queer, and questioning women and men. Every counselor and therapist working with bisexual clients and other clients who are questioning their sexuality will want two copies of Getting Bi on their bookshelf – one to read and one to lend to your clients! – Beth Firestein, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist, Inner Source Psychotherapy

If you want to know what bi people are thinking, feeling, doing; you’ll find answers here. And if you teach LGBTI studies, health, history, psychology, sociology, women’s studies, international studies; your students need this book. – Loraine Hutchins and Lani Ka’ahumanu, co-editors, Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out

This groundbreaking book is the perfect read for bisexual, queer, curious, and questioning people; everyone from the newly out to long-time community leaders; and bi allies of all stripes. – Matt Foreman, Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

A biverse collection of stories, experiences, reflections and beaming faces that celebrate the many permutations and possibilities of being bisexual in our world! I thoroughly loved this book’s very personal one-to-one conversational feel but also believe it is of great value to academics and LGBT studies courses because of its detailed and varied presentations of bisexuality. The stories are accessible facilitators/initiators of significant discussion and engagement. – Dr. Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia

If you are bisexual or questioning, this book is your lifeline to a supportive and accepting bisexual culture – buy it and read it until the covers fall off. If you belong to a LBGT organization, you need this book in your office. If you are a service provider, this book on your shelves identifies you as compassionate to bisexuals. If someone you love is bisexual or questioning, you have found the perfect gift. – TLA Video.com

This book is amazing! It is certainly the most international “international anthology” I’ve ever read. Rather than interpreting other people’s experiences, the editors created a well-designed and organized anthology of a wide range of people describing their lives and experiences in their own words. There are 184 essays, from 32 different countries, written by teenagers, grandparents and everyone in between. In essays and in poems, authors talk about coming out, tell their life stories, discuss bi community, relationships, politics, and desire. Each contribution is accompanied by a short author bio, and most have photos. This book literally puts a face on bisexual identity. I recommend it to people of all sexual orientations – to those who identify as bisexual, and to those who don’t. A rich and rewarding reading experience and a great resource. – Gail Zacharias, Boston, MA

A staggering collection of first-person accounts from bi folks all over the world (32 countries!) tackling complex topics from what it means to them to be bisexual to what the impact of their bi identity is on their lives. A brilliant and much needed resource for people just coming out or hoping to learn about bisexuals and bisexual identity – no one could accuse this collection of failing to cover a very, very wide range of perspectives. – S. Bear Bergman

A rockin’ collection of personal narratives followed by a few essential articles, including Tom Limoncelli’s “How to Spell Bisexual,” which tackles (among other errors) the issue of the hyphenated spelling of “bi-sexual” that is an enormous pet peeve of mine. – Cheryl Dobinson, Editor, The Fence

This anthology of personal, accessible narratives, culled from 300 submissions from 32 countries, presents a compelling look at contemporary bisexual experience. The statements were solicited and organized, and the book edited, by two bisexual activists. Robyn Ochs is the editor of Bisexual Resource Guide (now in its 4th edition) and co-founder of the Boston Bisexual Women’s Network, as well as the Bisexual Resource Center. She teaches college courses and workshops on bisexual identity, gender, and sexuality. Sarah E. Rowley is a member of the Boston Bisexual Women’s Network and an advocate for victims of domestic violence in the lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities. The editors have arranged the contributors’ comments into chapters discussing bisexual identity and desire, coming out, creating relationships, building community, and taking political action. Commentary at the beginning of each chapter puts the individual statements in context. A catalog of useful resources and articles is included at the end. Bi people who read this book will find validation and community. Researchers and academicians will find the information they need to undertake more meaningful studies of bisexuality. The undeniably queer personal statements in this book should be of interest to people who wonder if it’s really necessary or appropriate to include the “B” in GLBT. And this book should be required reading for all screenwriters and authors who think that making a character bisexual is an expedient way to add an element of menace, ditziness, or debauchery to their story. – Gay & Lesbian Review

This book will make you laugh, cry, get angry, and hopefully open your eyes to the wide range of bisexual experiences. – North Bi Northwest

Reading Getting Bi has been invaluable for me. I was heartened to read that my experience of being ‘confused’ about labeling myself as one thing or another was not unique. As someone who had identified previously as gay for over two decades it is reassuring to know that a resource exists that lays the territory of sexuality squarely where it belongs – on the individual. Getting Bi affirms that bisexuals are first and foremost creative and courageous people, willing to carve out complex and dynamic identities that are rich mosaics of human expression. We are entering a brave new world of human identity. Getting Bi tracks this exciting expression of what is ultimately a spiritual movement, above all else. – Rick Vassallo Radio Host/Producer, CUIT-FM, Toronto, Canada